1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a sound output device or speaker unit which may be incorporated into a stereo audio output system, and more particularly into such a system intended to reproduce sound with high fidelity or near high fidelity and to give rise to a relatively wide field of stereophonic sound.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Our Patent GB-B-2188811 describes a stereo speaker system having a pair of first and second speaker assemblies. Each speaker assembly comprises a speaker having a diaphragm which emits a sound wave in a vertical direction and an acoustic reflector which is disposed above the diaphragm and reflects the sound wave from the diaphragm into a horizontal plane. The surface of the acoustic reflector facing the diaphragm of each speaker assembly is conical with the apex of the cone nearest to the diaphragm. The centre axis of the conical surface of the acoustic reflector is offset from the centre axis of the diaphragm so as to provide a preferential distribution of sound intensity in an intended listening direction and so as to enhance or increase the area over which the stereo image is obtained.
Further aspects of sound output systems using generally conical sound mirrors are disclosed in EP-A-0320270 and EP-A-0409360.